Corrugating metal sheets



May 17, 1966 w J. HARRIS CORRUGATING METAL SHEETS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1'7, 1963 ||||||||||||||u n|u||||| INVENTOR 1.1. m J'ohw f/HRR/J BY HWMW May 17, 1966 Filed April 17.

W. J. HARRIS CORRUGATING METAL SHEETS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A-r'roanevs 3,251,211 C(IRRIJGATING METAL SHEETS Wiiliam 3'. Harris, Newport, England, sssignor to Scott Engineering (Newport) Limited Filed Apr. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 273,704 Claims priority, application Ggi/eat Britain, Apr. 19, 1962,

62 11 Claims. (Cl. 72-482) This invention relates to methods of, and apparatus for, corrugating sheet material; particularly metal sheets.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method, and apparatus for carrying out the method, whereby sheet material having a range of gauges may be corrugated easily and simply.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of corru-gating sheet material comprising passing the sheet between co-operating rollers.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for corrugating sheet material comprising a plurality of pairs of co-operating rollers between which the sheet is passed, the pairs of rollers being spaced in the direction of movement of the sheet and of such diameters that the degree of corrugation increases at each successive pair of rollers.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a cor-rugating plant;

FIGURE 2 shows a cross-section of a metal sheet being rolled between top and bottom rollers;

FIGURES 3a, b, c, d show cross-sections through the top and bottom rollers used for four successive passes; and

FIGURE 4 shows a part section through top and bottom shafts utilising split rollers.

The corrugating machine shown in FIGURE 1 has a main frame constructed in two sections 12 and 13 secured together by any suitable means, each section having two longitudinal members 14, 1-5 and three cross members 16, 17 and 18.

On one side of the frame is fitted an outrigger platform [21.

Located on the frame at regular intervals are a number of stands, eighteen in this embodiment, each stand comprising upper and lower roller-carrying shafts 23 extending between bearing housings 22 secured to the frame.

Rollers 24 are firmly fixed to the shafts and, as can be seen more clearly in FIGURE 1, the number of elements forming each roller assembly, and thus the number of corrugations formed in the sheet, increases in successive stands, so that two complete corrugations, one each side of the sheet are added after passing through four stands.

All shafts are mounted in needle roller or taper roller bearings, both upper and lower shaft assemblies being driven. The fixed diameter rolls are firmly secured to the shafts and the remainder mounted on Phosphor bronze bushings so that their rotational speed is automatically adjusted by the sheet being formed.

The vertical height of the upper shafts may be adjusted by known means, for example by fixed screws in the bearing chock and an adjusting nut carried in the support across the top of the bearing housing.

The shaft assemblies are driven by variable speed motor 25 coupled via V-belts 26 to individual gear boxes 27 for each stand. The drive to the upper shafts is through universal joints and sliding splines 28 to allow for vertical adjustment of these shafts, and the drive to the lower shafts is through intermediate shafts not shown using chain couplings.

The gear boxes 27 mounted on the platform 21 are of i United States Patent 0 3,251,211 Patented May 17, 1966 ice worm and wheel type, having double output shafts giving reverse drive to the upper roll assemblies.

FIGURE 2 shows a section through a metal sheet 34 during corrugation and illustrates the general arrangement and shape of the roller elements carried by the upper and lower shafts 23 of a single stand.

Each roller assembly is formed of a series of generally cylindrical forming roller elements 31 of one diameter alternating with a second series of generally cylindrical support roller elements 32 of a smaller diameter. in FIGURE 2 only one element of each series is shown on each shaft. The rollers are arranged so that the elements of the upper shaft are aligned with the elements of the lower shaft.

Each element 31 is shaped with two fiat portions 33 radiused at their outside edges to define the corners of the bases of the corrugations of the sheet 34, and a recessed portion 35 between the portions 33, of predetermined radius. Each element 32. has a curved end surface 36 which helps to make the base portion 37 of the corrugations square by slight overbending into the recessed portion 35.

FIGURES 3a, b, c and d show sections through the rollers used in the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th stands respectively for rolling troughed type corrugated sheet 38. The

elementsof the rollers are generally of the shape shown in FIGURE 2 but of varying width and diameter. As the sheet moves from stand 9 to stand 12 the outermost corrugations 39 is gradually formed, while the inner corrugations go through finishing processes. As the sheet moves through stand 13 another corrugation will be started on each side of the corrugation 39.

Sleeves 70 of suitable lengths for each stand are fitted on the shafts 23 between the rollers and stops 71 which prevent lateral movement of the rollers along the shafts.

The apparatus described allows a range of gauges to be used, for example for industrial type A sheet a gauge of 20 to 2.2 S.W.G., since the rollers do not require complete surface contact in operation. Gauge variation is thus allowed for, simply by raising or lowering the upper shafts as required.

Speed differential is overcome by mounting the support roller elements 3 2 on bearings on the shafts so that they can find their own speed from the sheet passing between the rollers.

In a modification, see FIGURE 4, the forming roller element 31 comprises two outer parts 31a, each having a fiat portion 33, and spacers 72 positioned between the parts 311a. Thus, by varying the width of the spacers, the profile of the corrugation to be formed may be varied.

I claim:

1. A method of corrugating sheet material, to form a corrugated sheet the cross section of which presents at least first and second portions which lie approximately in spaced parallel planes, and an intermediate portion joining the said first and second portions, said method comprising the steps of passing said sheet between a pair of coacting forming rolls having parts engaging opposite sides of the sheets, each said first and second portion being formed by a part on one roll that engages one surface portion of said sheet discontinuously over the length of said portion, and by a part on the other roll that engages the opposite surface of the same portion of the sheet where, on the other side, said sheet portion is not engaged by said part of said one roll.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a complete corrugation is formed after passing the sheet through at least four successive pairs of said rolls.

-3. Apparatus for corrugating sheet material to form a corrugated sheet the. cross section of which presents at least first and second portions which lie approximately in spaced parallel planes, and an intermediate portion joining the said first and second portions, said apparatus comprising a pair of coacting forming roll-s having parts engaging opposite sides of the sheet .to be formed, a part on one roll being engageable with a surface portion on one side of the sheet discontinuously over the length of said portion, and a part on the other roll being engageaible with the opposite surface of the same portion of the sheet where, on the other side, said sheet portion is not engaged by said part of said one roll, said roll parts forming said first and second sheet portions.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, and including a support means for roitatably supporting each said pair of rolls in parallel alignment. I

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said support means comprises two substantially parallel shafts.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the profile of one of the rolls of each said pair has two flat portions separated by a recessed portion, said flat portions being engageable with the sheet to be formed.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the outside edges of said flat portions define the corners of the corrugations to be formed in the sheet, said edges being curved.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said recessed portion is concavein reference to the other roll of the respective pair.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the other roll of each said pair has a surface portion convexly profiled in reference to said one roll of the respective pair, said profiled roll portion being engageable with said sheet on the side thereof engaged by said flat portions of said one roll of each pair.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one roll of each said pair is formed by two elements, the profile of each defining one of said flat portions.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, and including spacers insertable between said elements thereby to vary the profile of the corrugations formed in the sheet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. H. JUST, Assistant Examiner. 

3. APPARATUS FOR CORRUGATING SHEET MATERIAL TO FORM A CORRUGATED SHEET THE CROSS SECTION OF WHICH PRESENTS AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS WHICH LIE APPROXIMATELY IN SPACED PARALLEL PLANES, AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION JOINING THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A PAIR OF COACTING FORMING ROLLS HAVING PARTS ENGAGING OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SHEET TO BE FORMED, A PART ONE ONE ROLL BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH A SURFACE PORTION ONE ONE SIDE OF THE SHEET DISCONTINUOUSLY OVER THE LENGTH OF SAID PORTION, AND A PART ON THE OTHER ROLL BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OPPOSITE SURFACE OF THE SAME PORTION OF THE SHEET WHERE, ON THE OTHER SIDE, SAID SHEET PORTION IS NOT ENGAGED BY SAID PART OF SAID ONE ROLL, SAID ROLL PARTS FORMING SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHEET PORTIONS. 